Join us as we explore the archives of Lambeth Palace and the Church of England to discover the range of documents and images relating to the history of churches, housing, schools and other public spaces.
Founded in 1610 by the will of Archbishop Bancroft, its collections have been freely available for research ever since, making it one of the oldest public libraries in England. Lambeth Palace Library holds collections of outstanding national and international importance, with manuscripts, books and archives dating from the 9th century to the present day.
The new building, completed in 2020, houses more than 20km of books, manuscripts and archives, over 6 floors, in controlled environmental conditions.
The new Library combines the collections of Lambeth Palace Library and the Church of England Record Centre to create a single national library and archive for the Church of England, telling the story of the involvement of the church across the country in towns, villages and in schools all over England.
The tour goes behind the scenes at their Collections Care studio, the Reading Room and the view from the 8th floor terrace.
Meeting Place: Outside Lambeth Palace, Lambeth, SE1 7JU
Image: Lambeth Palace, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=774610